paris walk no. 1: montmartre

July 10th, 2010

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Our first 2 hotels were in the 9th, so I spent some time wandering the 9th and Montmartre. The Rue des Martyrs is a gluttons dream, with a million gorgeous bakeries, ice cream shops, and restaurants. Perfect for exploring.

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We stayed in each hotel for 2 days, (sandwiched between Germany and Belgium) and this time was also spent working without a lot of time for exploration. The morning my vacation started, I woke up dreadfully early to a pouring rain, and gleefully went out in it to shoot film photos (still to be developed) and to experience a wet, dreary Paris with less people! It was divine, though I was soaked to the bone. I ducked into Rose Bakery to dry off for a moment, and had a religious experience with the most lemony sweet slice of lemon cake and a (perfectly) unsweetened cup of chocolat chaud. While I sat and read, families had their breakfasts, Paris woke up, and the rain drummed down outside. So. Perfect. So, after a week of stress, my time to myself was off to a nice start. My first OMG, I’M IN PARIS morning.

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The night before, I’d zigged and zagged my way up to Sacré Coeur, past the funicula, up one million steps, past dozens of darling wee boutiques. I ended up feeling like passing out from the heat, and had to stop and just admire Sacré Coeur from afar, resting & then weaving my way back down random little side streets. I wish I had more time to explore this area. And endless amounts of money, to shop. Sigh. I’m still having Parisian sticker-shock.

lightsChandeliers in the morning, through the rain.

avenuetudorstainedglassOne of the prettiest stained glass pieces I’ve ever seen.

See
Sacré Coeur
35 Rue du Chevalier de La Barre

Musee des la Vie Romantiques
16, rue Chaptal

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Eat
Rose Bakery
46 rue des Martyrs

A la Mere de Famille
35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre
The best ice cream I have ever eaten, and I eat a LOT of ice cream. Also, one of (or the?) oldest confiserie in Paris. It’s probably good that it was so baking hot in Paris or I would have tried to bring home baskets full of chocolate.

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Green Pizz
8, rue Cadet
Healthy, delicious individual pizzas.

Hôtel Amour
8, Rue Navarin
Great food, and the back courtyard is ideal on a hot day.

Au Grain de Folie
24 rue La Vieuville
Charmingly decorated vegetarian restaurant.

Caramella
47 rue des Martyrs

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Stay
9 Hotel
14, rue Papillon

Hotel Pulitzer
23, rue du Faubourg Montmartre

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